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| Wishing all Goanetters |
| a Prosperous |
| and |
| Happy New Year - 2006 |
| Goanet - http://www.goanet.org |
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Young London Goans Society (YLGS) Newsletter Dec 2005 issue
GoanGlobal features the review of the YLGS Christmas boat Party on the
Thames, Q&A on the relevance of Christmas, the 2nd part of buying Property
in Goa, New member in da Frame, King Kong film review and Christmas humour!
Check it out at http://www.ylgs.org.uk/newsletter/December2005.pdf
Canada: Movers & shakers 2005: The review.
26 Dec: Ottawa Citizen. Most Funky: Three cheers for Jeremy Dias, the
University of Ottawa student who managed to draw a group of MPs and NDP
leader Jack Layton to a wacky fundraiser for an anti-discrimination
scholarship he established.
The Jeremy Dias Foundation, home of Canada's first national
Anti-Discrimination scholarship for youth has a website at
http://www.jersvision.org/ [The site is due for a major re-launch next
month].
For a photograph of Jeremy Dias see http://www.goanvoice.org.uk/
Sattari people's ultimatum to the govt
3 Dec: Digital Goa: People of Sattari today took out a marcha on Mamlatdar
office at Valpoi demanding the immediate release of all the accused in
Saleli incident. The 4000 strong morcha which was in support of the people
of Saleli was attended by the people from all the villages of Sattari
taluka. A memorandum was given to the mamlatdar asking for the release of
all the accused within 24 hours. They have also threatened to start chain
hunger strike if they are not release before the expiry of the deadline.
People from all the villages will participate in the hunger strike.
http://www.digitalgoa.com/
UK: 'sex for visa' claim
3 Jan: The Sun. Corrupt officials bed attractive girls desperate to avoid
being kicked out of the country in return for granting them visas. Meanwhile
"ugly" migrants risk having their applications rejected.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2006000188,00.html
Brit not in paedophile list
3 Jan: Herald. Goa Police said British citizen Douglas Ian William Rankin,
62, who was arrested in Bangalore with two teenage boys didn't figure in the
list of wanted paedophiles available with the State authorities
Police
said further investigation is on. http://oheraldo.in/node/8206
This Scot paedophile had 10-yr honeymoon in Goa
3 Jan: Gomantak Times. A Scot, who was arrested in Bangalore on charges of
masterminding a worldwide child sex racket, had a 10-year sojourn in Goa
before shifting his base to Bangalore. However, the Goa police and the NGOs
dealing with children in Goa seem to be clueless. Douglas Rankin, 62, from
Selkirk, was arrested after allegedly trying to smuggle two boys into
Britain on false passports. Preliminary investigations by the immigration
officials have revealed that Douglas was illegally staying in Goa since last
10 years. Once again his arrest raises the issue of using Goa as a holiday
destination by paedophiles to harvest victims. [Joel Newsclips Summary].
Tourists on to a Winner as Firms Slash their Prices
3 Jan: Daily Record. Latedeals.co.uk has a week in Brazil, for £259 and a
week in Goa for £218. Both are from London.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/tm_objectid=16540570&method=full&siteid=66633&headline=tourists-on-to-a-winner-as-firms-slash-their-prices--name_page.html
Latedeals also has Goa, 2 weeks, dep. 8 Jan. for £178.
http://www.latedeals.co.uk/category.asp?channel=longhaul&linkFrom=top_long&ito=1492
How I caught a cheap flight
3 Jan: Rediff. Merril Diniz writes on the Mumbai to Goa experience.
http://in.rediff.com/getahead/2006/jan/03goair.htm
Death
17 Nov: Mumbai. HILARY (LARRY) PEREIRA, (born 1956 in Pemba, Tanzania).
Expired in a
tragic train accident. Son of Elvira Fernandes Pereira and H.A,
(Bertie)Pereira of Tanga, grandson of late H.B.Fernandes and Rosalina
Coutinho Fernandes of Pemba and later Zanzibar and Late Dr.Joseph Michael
Pereira and Adelaide Pereira of Bombay. [Info from goans_tanzanite]
..................................................................................................
Goa: Faded colonial grandeur, stunning beaches and exotic cuisine blending
Asian and Portuguese influences give the Indian coastal state its unique
character.
By Tim Pile
Source: South China Morning Post (Hong Kong), 4 January 2006
1186 words
Full text:
Dozing beside the Mandovi River, Panaji, in all its lethargic ambience, is
an antidote to the hectic hedonism of the coast. By Indian state capital
standards the pace of life is noticeably unhurried, and without an airport
(sic) or railway station Panaji tends to be overlooked by sightseers. Cashew
nuts, not tourism, are the primary source of revenue (sic). Goa was a
Portuguese colony for more than 400 years and left an eclectic cultural,
religious and architectural legacy. In the neighbourhood of Fontainhas,
wrought-iron balconies in decaying villas overlook cobbled streets and
distinguished-looking buildings crumble and peel. The Panjim Inn provides
Portuguese colonial charm at competitive rates. Book online at
www.panjiminn.com
2 Old GoaEight kilometres from Panaji, Old Goa slumbers in a state of
melancholy decay. During the 16th century it was the hub of Portugal's
eastern empire, reputedly as magnificent as Lisbon and with a population
larger than London or Rome. The dockside bustled with traders from Arabia
and beyond until malaria and cholera epidemics devastated the city in the
18th century and it was abandoned for a new capital in Panaji. Today, Old
Goa is a haunting Unesco world heritage site of mildewing cathedrals,
churches and convents. Sé Cathedral is the largest in Asia and the baroque
Basilica of Bom Jesus, which houses the tomb of St Francis Xavier, remains a
place of pilgrimage for Christians and Hindus.
3 Palolem Overlooked for years by hippies and timeshare developers alike,
Palolem in the far south of Goa is blessed with one of the best beaches in
the state. Word is spreading on the travellers' grapevine, however, and the
village is becoming busier. Fortunately, the broad crescent of sand has
space for everyone and there are more bays and coves a short walk around
rocky headlands. Fishermen organise dolphin-spotting trips, evening
volleyball contests pit tourists against waiters and beachfront restaurants
serve fresh seafood while the sun sets into the Arabian Sea. Enlightened
local authorities forbid any concrete construction, so expect to stay in
bamboo huts. Bhakti Kutir is an eco-friendly option with plusher facilities
than most, located a few paces from the beach. Go to www.bhaktikutir.com for
more on yoga classes, ayurvedic massages and reservations.
4 Anjuna Flea Market The resort of Anjuna is a microcosm of Goa. There are
beaches, hippies, raves, cheesy meditation centres and much discussion about
the perils of tourism. Wednesday is flea market day, when crowds descend to
bargain for bangles, ethnic clothing and second-hand Enfield motorcycles.
Many long-term travellers sell their meagre inventories alongside more
organised Rajasthani and Tibetan traders. As elsewhere on the Asian circuit,
hair braiders, tattooists and palm readers do brisk business. Some visitors
come only to people-watch and they're rarely disappointed. The human zoo
includes Indians kitted out in full tribal garb, jugglers, snake charmers
and the originators of the flea market, bleary-eyed hippies with beards down
to their bellies.
5 Wildlife SanctuaryIf trance parties, hawkers and beaches aren't your
thing, head east. The forested foothills of the Western Ghats form Goa's
mountainous border with Karnataka State and conceal waterfalls, wild animals
and nature trails. At Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary keep your eyes peeled for
monkeys, barking deer, elephants and leopards, although the last are
elusive. Dudhsagar Falls more than compensates if you're unlucky with animal
sightings. At 600 metres they're among the highest in India: foaming
torrents that cascade into a deep emerald pool. The approach road is best
negotiated by jeep and is most spectacular after the summer monsoon.
6 Food and drinkGoan cuisine blends Indian and Portuguese influences and
relies heavily on the daily catch from the ocean. A mouth-watering array of
prawn, oyster, lobster and crab dishes supplements fish curry and rice on
restaurant menus. The liberal use of creamy coconut milk and chillies is
reminiscent of Thai cooking and that fiery curry house favourite, vindaloo,
originated here. Simple cafes and beachside snack bars serve delicious and
inexpensive meals that can be relied on to tingle the tastebuds. Spend a
little more and the decor, service and variety improve markedly. Venite in
Panaji serves terrific seafood in rustic surroundings. Goans have inherited
a love of wine, but this is rivalled by a taste for feni, or fermented
coconut palm sap. The clear spirit packs a punch and novices should proceed
with caution.
7 Tiracol Fort As far north as it's possible to travel in Goa without
actually entering Maharashtra State lies the tiny enclave of Tiracol. Cross
the Arondem River by dilapidated ferry and it's a couple of kilometres to a
promontory where an 18th-century fort has been converted into an upmarket
hotel. From the ramparts it's easy to see why the Portuguese captured the
highly strategic headland and added it to their burgeoning colony. The
elegant rooms at the Hotel Tiracol Fort Heritage (e-mail
[EMAIL PROTECTED]) make full use of the location, with expansive views
across the river mouth towards the deserted white sands of Querim Beach to
the south. Doubles from $700.
8 Yoga Retreat. Situated near the town of Mapusa in northern Goa, Purple
Valley Yoga Centre has two locations offering classes for all levels. The
drop-in centre gives an overview, with daily classes operated on a
first-come, first-served basis. Nearby, the Retreat is a secluded haven set
amid tropical jungle, with accommodation for 30 students in an attractive
colonial-style house. Workshops of varying duration are run by qualified
teachers and although beginners are welcome, experienced practitioners are
given priority. Involvement in community projects is integral to the Purple
Valley philosophy and a percentage of the profits is reinvested locally.
www.yogagoa.net for information about workshop schedules and accommodation.
9 Agonda. There are still beaches in Goa where cows outnumber people. The
tiny settlement of Agonda is easy to miss and most tourists do. The approach
road twists between palm trees and banana plantations until it reaches a
pristine 2km sweep of sand flanked by a handful of dining and lodging
establishments and little else. Attempts by developers to construct a
five-star hotel met with vociferous local opposition. Further along is the
low-key Dunhill Beach Resort. Book a cottage, pick a spot on the sand and
enjoy the serenity.
10 Konkan Railway. Trains on the high-speed Konkan Railway race along the
length of the west coast, heading beyond Goa to the southern state of
Kerala. Inaugurated in 1998, the flagship Rajdhani Express glides through
scenic countryside, past lakes and mountains, to the beat of a Hindi movie
soundtrack. There's a range of accommodation available and the trains are
fully air-conditioned, with freshly laundered bedding and meals included.
The punctual service is ideal for travellers using Bombay as a gateway
airport and planning to maximise their sightseeing opportunities in limited
time. Train tickets and timetables are available at www.indianrail.gov.in
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